Niassa Floods - February 2018

Summary of Emergency

From 6-10 February 2018, the north of Niassa Province (particularly the Districts of Lago, Mecula, and Lichinga) suffered four days of non-stop heavy rain.

This rain destroyed farms, gardens, and houses.  The worst affected District was Lago, particularly around Messumba.  Because of bridge construction that is being done in Messumba, the engineers had artificially re-directed the Lunho River, in order to keep the area they were working somewhat dry.  Because of this diversion, when the Lunho River flooded (which it has done in the past), it flooded into areas with houses (which it has not done in the past). There are 62 families sheltered in the Messumba Cathedral, where they lack basic goods (food, blankets, drinking water).  In other communities, people have sheltered in schools and churches (depending on the local geography).

Church members have made contributions of flour, salt, and firewood, and have lent household goods like pots and blankets.

Equipas de Vida, catechists, Priests, Chiefs, and other people of good will are supporting those directly affected.

The Administrator of the Local Government visited Messumba today (12 February 2018).

Thanks to God, there have been no deaths recorded yet.

Images of the floods

 

Here are data about the affected families:

Administrative Post of Lunho—Critical state

Community	Number of Families severely affected (house destroyed)	Total number of Families affected (lost farmland or house)	Hectares of farmland flooded
1. Messumba	62	254	100
2. Mbamba	Unknown	23	14
3. Chiya	Unknown	25	17
4. Ngoo	Unknown	29	20
5. Mbueca	Unknown	24	16
6. Tulo	Unknown	27	29
7. Licesse	Unknown	26	10
8. Chuanga	Unknown	29	6
9. Matenje	Unknown	22	9
10. Namatumba	Unknown	29	7
11. Mondue	Unknown	26	5
12. Mepochi	Unknown	23	9
13. Lifutichi	Unknown	27	4
14. Mechumwa	Unknown	20	22
15. Michelenje	Unknown	28	20
16. Chambati	Unknown	32	17
Total:	At least 62	At least 644	305

Administrative Post of Cobue (where water is beginning to recede).

Community	Number of Families severely affected house destroyed)	Total number of Families affected (lost farmland or house)
1. Cobue Sede	70	250
2. Chigoma Uchessi	10	255
3. Mtumba		55
4. Unga		30
5. Liuchi Ungui	3	48
6. Mbueca	5	65
7. Mataca chilala	10	302
8. Ngofi Ntimbe		155
9. Lumbaulo		47
10. Ngombe		20
11. Wikihi e Chiwindi	11	120
12. Magachi Matepue		77
13. Nkondessi		21
Total:	109	1445

Needs

Short-term	Medium-term	Long-term
maize flour / rice beans chlorine water purifier mosquito nets plastic tarpaulins or tents pans, plates, cups	Seeds for replanting (based on advice of World Renew consultant Angela Boss) hoes	Training about natural disaster prevention and agriculture that is resistant to disasters Creation of Disaster management committees